IS214 -- Needs Assessment
and Evaluation of Information Systems
School
of Information Management and Systems
UC Berkeley
Prof.
Nancy Van House
-
vanhouse@sims.berkeley.edu
-
307A South Hall
510-642-0855
Return
to course page.
ABOUT THIS COURSE
This course will introduce methods
and underlying concepts of needs assessment and evaluation for information
systems. We will follow 2 main threads:
(1) Learning about and practicing
with current major methods of needs and usability assessment (broadly
defined).
Current practice focuses
much more on usability than needs assessment. Furthermore, most usability
assessment is overly-focused on interfaces. To be useful and used, an information
system must have useful content and functionality as well
as a usable interface. It must fit the work practices
of the community being supported. Hence our second thread:
(2) Maintaining a broad focus
on
-
understanding people's purposes
and practices in creating, finding, and using information
-
fitting technology to the user
(not vice versa)
-
assessing effects of and taking
responsibility for the information system.
Much of our discussion will
use web usability and digital libraries as examples, but
these are not our only concerns.
We will work from three
underlying orientations:
(1) A close partnership
with and respect for users is necessary for an information system or
service to be useful, used, and responsible.
Work practices and tools
(including information systems) are mutually-constituted. We can never
entirely foresee how an information system, product, or service will be
used and its effects. The design process must respect the user's
expertise; be grounded in the user's experience; continually consult with
multiple points of view ; and assess results, intended and unintended.
(2) To be valid, reliable, and
defensible, needs and usability assessment must be grounded in good
social science research methods.
However, we also have to
be aware of the constraints imposed by these particular applications.
Nor do good research methods make up for a too-narrow concept of what's
being assessed.
(3) We will be engaged in a
critical practice, that is, both learning about and taking a critical
(i.e.,somewhat skeptical) stance toward, in particular, usability assessment.
Much is being said about
Web design for usability, in particular. Some of it is very useful; some
not. Much of it is overly-narrow in its focus. But everyone
seems to have an opinion.
Return
to course page.